FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the dispensing of food particulates such as coffee beans and the like, and more particularly to the automatic, powered dispensing of such products, as adapted for venting machines found in stores and other public places.
In large food outlets it is presently customary to carry a number of different species and brands of foods. While many of these are prepackaged at the factory, some are distributed in bulk, and offered to the buying public through vending machines which meter out specific quantities, for packaging at the point of sale. Exotic coffees are an example of such practice.
The vending of different brands of coffee beans in measured quantities has not resulted in especially neat and convenient facilities, thereby leaving much room for improvement.
Accordingly one object of the present invention is to provide an especially simple and easy-to-operate automatic coffee bean dispenser adapted for use in modern high quality food stores.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved coffee bean dispenser as above outlined, which is especially reliable and foolproof in its operation.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved coffee bean dispenser in accordance with the above, which is "user friendly" to the extent that its operation is especially easy to understand for the average customer.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved coffee bean dispenser which is economical to fabricate and capable of low cost sales.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved coffee bean dispenser which can utilize components that are readily available in the marketplace.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved coffee bean dispenser which is sanitary and capable of being easily cleaned.
A feature of the invention resides in a construction that enables the dispenser to be easily cleaned for use with another brand or with other granular material.
Other features of the invention reside in a construction which is quiet in its operation, compact and light in weight whereby it can be easily adapted to existing space accommodations.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved coffee bean dispenser which is dimensioned to enable a number of such units to be readily installed side by side while requiring a minimum of space.
Still other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.
In accomplishing the above objects the preferred embodiment of the invention provides a dispenser construction comprising a hopper having a bottom discharge opening and a dispensing chamber with a cylindrical interior, disposed below the discharge opening, such chamber having a bottom outlet to empty it contents into a waiting bag or package. In the dispensing chamber there is a novel zig-zag shaped partition blade that has a flat body portion with angularly, oppositely extended end portions, such blade being movable between two positions wherein spaces on its opposite sides can be alternately connected respectively with either the discharge opening of the hopper or else the bottom outlet of the dispensing chamber. The end portions of the blade have curvilinear exterior side surfaces which closely fit the cylindrical interior of the dispensing chamber. Electrical means comprising a motor having a cam-operated switch is utilized to drive the partition blade through half-revolutions, as triggered by a push button switch intended to be actuated by the user. When one space is emptying its metered contents into a waiting container another partitioned space is being refilled for discharge into a succeeding waiting package at the same time. Each one-time actuation of the push-button switch acts like a trigger to initiate a fully automatic operation of the blade through exactly one-half of a revolution